


Hugs and Waffles

by AveTheNoulGuy



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Emotional Baggage, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-16 02:37:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20167531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AveTheNoulGuy/pseuds/AveTheNoulGuy
Summary: Raven getting some help (and waffles)





	Hugs and Waffles

**Author's Note:**

> (first work!)  
Takes place after "Fear Itself", buuut I might have used some insporation from other episodes as well.  
(also, spoiler alert, the "thing" on the end is supposed to be a hug but I didn't know how to write Raven asking for one so I left it out and now it sounds even weirder . . . aaaaagh . . .)

She knocked on the metal door. It felt wrong, knocking on that door, at the room where no one was allowed to enter, but the worry in her chest refused to listen.  
"Raven? Are you all right?"  
The door opened a crack, revealing a serious face with two bloodshot eyes.  
"I'm fine, Star. Leave me alone."  
Just in time, Starfire managed to lodge her hands in the crack, forcing it back open with superhuman strength.  
"Raven, you do not appear fine to me. Are you sure everything is okay?"  
"Well, it will be." Raven looked away, in a combination of shame and defeat. Defeat, because she knew she couldn't force Starfire to leave her without using her powers. And shame remembering what happened last time she did.  
However, despite her worries, Starfire didn't keep pestering and let the door fall shut, flying away, leaving Raven alone - again. Just as she herself had asked. Yet, it hurt so bad, being alone . . .  
She had almost managed to fall on her bed despairfully and contemplate on the meaninglessness of life when another knock came. Slightly angered, she turned back to the door. Who was it this time? Robin? He sure knew how to worry about his teammates, made sense that he'd come after seeing Starfire walking away. Or was it Beastboy? She really wished it wasn't Beastboy, she was not in the mood to deal with him now. Well, to be fair, she never was, but today was exceptionally bad.  
It wasn't Cyborg, she thought as she reached for the door. He respected her privacy.  
She opened the door, and an overpowering, pleasant smell came over her.  
"Hello again, friend! I brought waffles!"  
" . . . why did you bring me waffles?"  
"Well . . . they are the one thing I was sure you like, and, since you were feeling bad, I decided to bring some!"  
Raven kept staring at the pile, fighting yet another battle with herself. She really didn't want to talk to anybody right now, and even if she did, it was her problem and she was the one who had to solve it, not rely on others to help her.  
But then again, waffles.  
Her entire life she had been fighting herself, her emotions, making sure they are under her control. Her entire life, binding herself in chains for the sake of others. How pointless, how counterproductive would it be if someone else was to ease that burden for her?  
But, waffles.  
"Come in," she finally said, heading back to her bed and leaving the door open this time. She had started drooling, she realised.  
"Raven, are you sure I should enter-"  
"I said come in." Her conscience was already gnawing at her. Even Starfire, the Titans' goof, knew better than to enter her room, all because Raven always refused to let people get close to her. And now, she had done it.  
She was about to let herself fall on the bed when she realised it would probably be a bad position for eating waffles, so she sat at one corner instead. Starfire was still busy getting there, fruitlessly trying to mask her interest at Raven's room, her books, her statues. Was it really that weird? Another nag drove through Raven's chest, reminding her of why she looked so bad.  
"You bring cutlery?"  
Startled, Starfire gave a cute little squeak as she refocused on Raven, then she smiled widely. "Of course, friend! I bring all necessary appliances!"  
Friend. Sure. It still felt weird, being called that. What was it even supposed to mean? Robin made friends left and right, and barely seemed to remember them unless he needed something or they were in danger. Starfire, blissfully innocent as ever, called everyone her friend who agreed to be one. Did I ever agree, Raven wondered? She couldn't remember.  
"Friend?"  
Raven jolted as she fell back to reality. Starfire was now sitting besides her, the tall pile of waffles in her lap, thick, sugary waffles, topped with honey, just how Raven loved them . . .  
"I . . . I'm having a bit on my mind right now. Thanks for the food."  
She even forced a small smile. There, that would look convincing. Starfire beamed back her own thousand-watt smile, handing over the dish with its delicious contents, plus a knife and a fork. Still somewhat unsure, Raven accepted them and started cutting up the uppermost layer of deliciousness. Yet even before she had cut it, she knew it would be hard to swallow with that lump in her throat.  
But hey, Starfire brought her waffles. She could at least eat them. She forced the first piece in her mouth, and indeed, once the sticky honey had spread inside her mouth, she found out she was quite hungry indeed.  
"Is this about the movie we watched?"  
Raven winced. Not quite, but the guess was still too close for comfort.  
"It is acceptable to be afraid. Even someone as collected as Robin admitted of being afraid after seeing that movie."  
"But I am not Robin, Star. You've been in my body, you know what my powers can do when I'm not collected. He is just playing cool because he's the leader. I . . . "  
Suddenly, even the waffles didn't seem that delicious. Raven put the dish on her bedside table, staring at the wall, away from Starfire. Not the tears again.  
"You are also cool, Raven, but unlike Robin, it seems to cause you harm. Maybe it would be wiser not to be cool? At least not always?"  
The pale girl sighed, looking at Starfire's innocent, honest face. "Beastboy called me `creepy'. Cyborg refuses to talk to me. And Robin is always worrying that I might not be ready when he needs me. That's what happens when I open up, Star. People don't like me."  
"I disagree!" Starfire stood up rashly, accentuating her words with her arms. "I rather like you, with your dark manners and unruly powers. I just . . . I just wish you wouldn't beat yourself up over it so much."  
Raven stared at her blankly for a few seconds. "Was that a confession?"  
Again, Starfire squeaked in surprise, evading Raven's gaze. "I . . ."  
"Look." Raven put down the cutlery next to the dish, aware she might have stained her favourite cloak with it. "I was having a bad day, thanks for cheering me up and for the waffles. I am not mad at you, I will not be angry, I promise. I'm just really not in the mood to guess others' opinions, especially opinions of me, so I'd rather you tell me."  
Starfire nodded, but still evaded her gaze. "I . . . I've been having mixed feelings about you ever since we, we switched bodies and you told me about . . . well, everything, and . . . I guess it, it just kinda slipped out before I could think about it. Sorry."  
It did make sense, when Raven thought about it. Starfire was not one to lie about her feelings, and it certainly explained her latest worry about Raven. But why was she blushing like a tomato and stuttering like a schoolgirl?  
"That's all?"  
Starfire nodded, pressing her lips together. There was something else all right. But maybe it would be better until she decided to tell her herself, Raven decided.  
"Did you not like them?"  
Raven followed her gaze to the half-eaten pile of waffles. "They were . . . delicious, thank you. I think I'm just not in the mood to eat right now?"  
"Maybe you would enjoy some Tamaranian-"  
"No alien food. Please. Can't stand it."  
Starfire frowned for a moment, trying to think of a food that wouldn't be considered `alien'. "Iced cream, maybe?"  
For the second time that day, Raven felt a genuine smile on her face. "Ice cream would be nice. But . . . isn't it too late? Robin is going to complain if we start making noise in the kitchen at this hour . . . "  
"Maybe tomorrow, then? I know a rather agreeable place downtown that serves iced cream . . . ."  
And again, she blushed, realising what she had suggested. Raven almost had to chuckle. Almost.  
"Why not? Might be nice to take a break from hero business, if I look that wasted to you."  
Apparently believing that her proposal had passed unnoticed, Starfire beamed her smile again. "Dearest friend! Anything else I can do for you?"  
Raven glanced over at the waffles, contemplating on whether she should ask her to bring them back to the kitchen. But then, something within her reached out, something she had spent many nights with, fruitlessly trying to tame it, to make it stop hurting so.  
"Yeah, there is one thing . . ."


End file.
